Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-17
TIRE GENTENNIll HsTlRT OF OHIO.
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InHN cLEAvrs sYNMEs, JR.

thor Of 1.-THE Theory of Coneentric
Spheres, demonstrating that the earth
Is hollow, habitable within and widely
open about the poles,n) died at Hamil-
ton, Butler county, Ohio, May 28, 1923.
He was born in New Jersey about the
wear 1850. His father, Timothy
Symmes, was the brother Of Judge
John CIeaves Symines, weil-known as
the founder of the first settlements in
the Miami Valley, In early life he re-
ceived a common school education, and
in 1902 was commissioned an ensign.
In 1913 he was promoted to q captaincy
and served with honor until the close
of the war. He resided for q number
ofyears at Newport, KY, aud devoted
himself to the philosophical researches
connected with his favorite theory. In
1878 be first promulgated his theory to
the world, delivered lectures and finally
in 1922, petitioned Congress for aid i'm
establishing the truth of his theory
"His theory was met with ridicule,
both in this country and in Europe,
and became fruitful source ofjest and
levity to the public prints of the day. Z.
Capt. Symines met with the usual fate
of projectors in living and dying in
great pecuniary embarrassment. He
was an honest, exemplary man."
Symmes distinguished himself by APP
plying to Congress for an appropriation
to explore the center ofthe earth. The
ingenious theorist tried to demonstrate
that the earth was Hollow and contain
ed perfect store-house of wealth,
which 1t would pay our Government
to acquire by right of discovery
Symmes claimed that there was big
hole at the North Pole, leading to the
center of our globe, and he found q
Kentuckian to explain the situation to
Congress. The appropriation was not
made and "Symmes' Holeu was never
found. A pedestal supporting q globe
having hole through it from pole to
pole, marks the spot of the visionary's
grave.
The patient perseverance with which
Columbus, during his years of rebuff
and disappointment, urged his theory
of land to the westward, and sought for
means to enable him to find it, was
hardly greater than that which has act
uated the Symmes, father and son, in
their idea of great continent about
the North Pole. There is an earnest
ness In their endeavor that compels re-
spect for that, if there is none for their
theory. More than quarter of u cent
ury ago, John Cleaves SHINES, jr.,
promulgated his theory that after the
83d degree of north latitude is reached,
the land begins to sloop towards the
earth's interior, that the climate grows
warmer, and that it opens into broad
and rich continent of over 2,0OO,000
square miles, abounding in vegetation
and animals, and possibly inhabited by
human beings. In celebrating and de-
Tending this theory, which in reality
has some very plausible facts to support
it, and is not SO fanciful as might be
supposed, he spent his life. After the
old man died, his son, Americus
Symmes, inheriting his ideas on the
subject, has devoted his entire time and
fortune in the same direction and has
endeavored to have an expedition fitted
out to test the truth of the theory, and
he was recently before the Council of
his native city, Louisville, with Pc
tition asking that body to request Con-
gress to invite him to accompany the
Howgate polar expedition.
CHAPTER X.--THE FATHERS OF THE
STATE.
Next in order after the settlements
of Marietta and Cincinnati are those of
Manchester, Adams county, and of
Gallipolis. The first settlement within
the "Virginia Military Tractn and the
only one between the Scioto and Little
Miami, until after the treaty of Green
willie in 1895, was made at Manchester
by Col. Nathaniel Massie In the winter
Of 1890. He determined to make set
tlement in order that he might be in
the midst of his surveying operations
and ut the same time to protect his
party from danger and exposure. Up
wards of thirty families joined him in
the enterprise. After various consul
tations the town of Manchester was
laid off abont twelve miles above
Limestone, (now Marysville, Ky.)
Cabins were raised and by the middle
of March, 1871, the whole town was en-
closed with strong pickets and with
block-houses at each angle for defense.
This was the fourth settlement In the
State. The nearest neie.hbors were at
Columbia, Hamilton county, five miles
above Cincinnati, and at Gallipolis, a
French settlement near the mouth of
the Great Kanawha.
The first court was held at Manches-
ter. Hon. Winthrop Sargent, acting
in the absence Of The Governor APP
pointed commissioners whu located the
county seat of Adams county atan out
0f-the-way place, which they called
Adamsville, and which was called in
derision "Scantv' AIT the next session
of the its members became divided
and part sat at Adamsville aud part at
Manchester. The Governor, on his re-
turn tc this Territory, removed the
county seat to the mouth of Brush
creek, where o town was laid out by
Noble g. Grimes, under the name of
Washington and here court was held in
1898. A large log court house was
built with o. Jail in the lower story.
This town continued as the county
seat until it was changed to West
Union. Joseph Darlington and Israel
Donaldson were among the first Judges
of the Court of Common Pleas. Wes.
Union was laid out In 1904 by Hon.
Thomas Kirker, one of the Commits
sioners, and one Of its early settlers.
AS early as 1915 a newspaper was estab-
iished here by James Finlay, called
17te Political Censor The court house
was built by x-Governor Metcalf, of
Kentucky, who, commencing life as a
stone mason. had acquired the sobri-
quet of ''Stone Mason Metcalf.n
GALLIpoLIs.
The first settlement in the county of